stephenson



(NdModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J.'STEPHENSON.

IRAM GAR DOOR OPERATOR. No. 378,475. Patented Feb. 28,1888.

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nu i (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. STEPHENSON.

TEAM GAR DOOR OPERATOR. No. 378,475. Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

UNITED STATES JOHN STEPHENSON,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEV YOItK, N. Y.

"* TRAM-CAR==DOOR UPERATDR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,475, dated February28, 1888.

Application filed June 17, 1887. Serial No. 241,637.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, JOHN STEPHENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Tram- Oar-Door Operators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improved means for opening, closing,and controlling the position of tram-car doors from a distant point; andit consists in the novel construe tion hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings so much of a tranrcar is illustrated as is necessary toa ready understanding of the improvement, in which drawingtv Figure l isa vertical central section of the two ends of a tram-car, illustratingthe dooroperating means. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of thetram car; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation taken on the line m,Fig. 1, looking from the interior of the car.

The larger number of tramways in the United States use small cars movedmostly by one horse and managed by one attendant. Many devices have beentried to enable the driver to control the entrance-door and open andclose it at pleasure, and have it remain where placed, and be convenientfor driver or passengers to move. All these desirable fea tures arecombined in my invention, viz: I place below thedoor-top a rail, 20,extending from the door standing pillar to the corner- .pillar C of thebody. On the rail is a slide,2l, connected with a slotted frame, F,fastened to the door-edge D. In the slot of the frame is a slidingblock, 5, in which is a crank-pin, 4, held by the outer end of an arm orlever, G, having its shoulder 10 joined to the rock-shaft H, whichpasses through the car and its front walls, I, where,by a flexiblejoint, 12, it unites with an extension, J, of the rock-shaft, droppingto its connection 13 with the bonnet-rim K, at which place it receivesthe drivers han dle L, having a counter-weight, M, for oper- (No model.)

ating and holding the door open or shut as placed.

The slide 21, herein referred to and particularly set forth in acompanion application, is not an equivalent for a doorsheave, becauseextremely high car-window sashes force the door-carrying rail so nearthe roof that asheave cannot be used, and also because the necessaryboxing or indenting the door-sheave into the corner-pillar at thatelevation would destroy the angle framework of the car-body.

I claim 1. A tram-car having a sliding door at one end of the caradapted to be operated by the driver at the other end,a rock-shaftconnected to the door and extending to the forward part of the car-,ahandle connected to the rock-shaft for operating it, and a weightedcounter-balance, also connected to the roclcshaft, whereby the door maybe operated by the driver and held open or shut by the counter-balance,substantially as described.

2. In a tI2tlIl'C2Ll,hhG combination of its door, an inclined section ofa rockshaft supported over the platform and having its outer endsupported by the car-bonnet,ahaudle secured to said rock-shaft andhaving a loaded or weighted extension to balance and hold the door openor closed when so placed, a second or main section of rock shaftextending between the inclined section,and the door united to the saidsection by a flexible joint, an arm secured to the end of the mainsection of rockshaft adapted to move between the end carwall and itspartition, and a slotted frame se cured to the rear of the door engagedby a pin on said arm, .all substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

Intestimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOIIN STEPHENSON.

\Vituesses:

J os. B. Srnrnnnsou, S. A. STEPHENSON.

